Taking the emblematic work of R.W. Fassbinder, “The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant”, as her starting point, Sol Picó recreates a world of emotionally devastated monsters, lacking love and suffocating in cruelty, that move, talk and hurt each other behind the scenes of a sinister circus. As they pass, they see Petra, the ringmistress, presenting her collection of broken human models that are sick with the lack of love. Beautiful, arrogant and self-absorbed, Petra falls into an obsessive love for her latest acquisition, Karin, only to end up exploited, rejected and humiliated. Desperate, her disintegration in the face of losing love is total.

In this new show, Sol Picó presents us with a reflection on monstrosity and love, transporting us into the realm of physical and visceral theatre, exploring the themes of power, obsession, violence and humiliation, monsters that once taking hold in human relations, destroy them. If the lack of love engenders sickly monsters, perhaps love is the first remedy. But in the circus humour is always around the corner; a sense of the absurd that gives rise to a doubt – to laugh or to cry?

Sol Picó’s exciting and forceful piece is a culmination of the choreographer and dancer’s recent theatrical experiences, such as working with actresses from the theatre of text and mixing the power of the word with the power of movement, interchanging their energies, entering and leaving one space for another, fragmenting and de-structuring the work. The cast is made up of five dancers and two actresses with Maru Valdivieso as the leading part.

Text of Rafael Metlikovez

Sol Picó is a professional contemporary dance company founded in 1994 by dancer and choreographer Sol Pico , which gives its name to the company.